Most of the job seekers quite enthusiastically approach the recruiter, fix the interview date and show up to the interview however, they often overlook one of the most essential part of the process and that is to thank them for the time that they have spent on us.
While some distinctly remember this and some don’t, it is important to note that showing your gratitude towards them lets you earn some extra points as well.
This shows how much etiquette do you posses and which level of professionalism do you adhere to.
Here are some points to tell you that how can you write an effective thank you note.
Tips to Write Thank You Note After an Interview:
1. Do not delay:
Sending in a thank you note makes sense if it is sent within 24 hours of the interview. There is no point in making a beautiful thank you note and send it through mail or personally after 2-3 days.
Remember, it is called “effective” thank you note and hence it has to be on time. If you know that sending it personally can take time then choose mailing it instead.
2. Provide a personal touch:
Here comes little homework. You must write the note in such a way that it occurs as if you are talking to them in personal.
Do not forget to mention the names separately while thanking them. Keep the thank you note genuine and true.
This will certainly make them realize that you are a person with gratefulness for others, and who doesn’t wish to hire such employee?
3. Make it genuine:
Do not copy paste an internet sample of thank you note, instead write a note that is true and comes straight from your heart.
Also, you got to avoid flattering them through unjustifiable praises. Keep the note simple and short but keep it genuine as well.
Write something that you truly admired in them instead of what the World Wide Web asks you to preach.
4. Showcase your enthusiasm:
Remember, your goal is to bag that job position and thus you can treat your last input that is the thank you note as your last weapon as well.
Do not forget to mention briefly that how much are you interested to become a part of the company, talk about how much influenced are you with them.
Basically you got to showcase your enthusiasm through the letter but do not over do it.
5. Highlight your skills:
Your thank you letter is also an attempt to make yourself stand out of the crowd and hence you got to ensure that you are carefully and precisely mentioning the benefits that the company would get to enjoy if they hire you.
Mention them your positive points that will help the company in long run also, you must give them reasons to hire you with respect to the points that why are you different from other candidates.
6. Make the best of it:
During an interview if there were any questions raised about your education, experience or projects and even if you have responded to it correctly, make it a point to retreat it in your thank you note in a very subtle manner.
Do not go on defensive mode and begin to defend yourself rather address the issue, and clear their misunderstanding (if any).
7. Add points that you missed:
There might be times when in the pang of nervousness you must have forgotten to emphasis on certain point.
Use the thank you note as an opportunity to highlight the points. However, do not go on and on, remember this is a thank you note which has to be more about them and lesser about you.
Emphasis on the point that you forgot to mention but keep it crisp and brief.
8. Proof read:
Ensure that you read and proofread your letter at least twice or thrice after completing it. There shouldn’t be any typo error and moreover it has to be free from grammatical error.
Your entire impression is going to get drained down if the recruiter encounters any grammatical error in the letter.
If you are unsure about your grammar then use online tools for checking grammars and errors but do not leave any scope for mistakes to creep it.
9. Keep it short and précised:
Your thank you note is a reason why it is called just a “note” and not a speech. Make sure that your note is short and précised.
Writing too elaborated thank you note won’t do anything good to you instead it will take the attention of recruiter away from the important points that you might have mentioned. Thanks to its length.
10. Avoid jargons:
The note that you are sending is supposed to thank them and definitely not to prove how strong your vocabulary is. Therefore avoid using jargons unnecessarily, keep the language simple.
The simpler you will keep, the more it will be easier for them to connect. Moreover, simple language would make them believe that the letter is not written to impress anyone rather you are genuinely thanking them for their time.
11. Be professional:
Yes, the letter has to have a personal touch in it however; you must remember to maintain the thin line of professionalism as well.
The genuine nature of the note won’t help if you lack professionalism in the words that you put. Avoid being casual, maintain the seriousness of your profession and know where to draw the line.
12. Do not pre write the thank note:
The correct time of handing over the thank you note is immediately after the interview or at least within 24 hours however, do not write it before the interview in any given scenario.
13. Slip in your business card:
Even a thank you note is a weapon or a chance to sell yourself. Ensure that you send in a business card as well in your thank you note.
This will show how professional you are and also that how interested you are to connect with you and get hired.
14. Apologies for mistakes:
Always use the thank you note to apologies for the blunder that you might have created in the personal interview.
If you failed to get there on time and even if you explained enough that why were you late, still you have to make mention of it in the thank you note. This will show that you know how to accept your mistake and apologies for it.
15. Demonstrate what you have listened:
While writing the thank you note also talk about what you have listened from them this will show that you were enough observant and attentive.
For instance mentioning – “when you narrated the story of…” giving such references can help you a lot with respect to your communication skills.
16. No unnecessarily jazzing it up:
The thank you note should be attractive with the usage of words and feelings that are put in by you and that is enough to convey your aim.
Do not jazz it up unnecessarily by tinting and making elementary school level designs. Keep it simple and easy to read. Use normal colors, lighter ones instead of fluorescent or darker shades.
17. Use blue or black pen/ink:
Whether you are writing it with your hands or typing it down, maintaining standards are important.
Use standard colors like blue or black. This is more decent and sober.
18. Greet the person by name:
You are addressing them formally and hence instead of writing sir or madam use their full name, for instance – Dear Mr. M.K. Krishnan.
Usage of sir or madam is acceptable but addressing them with their names is more professional.
19. Mention contact information:
You must provide your contact information without fail. The place below your name and signature should be exactly where the contact information should be put by you.
Conclusion:
Writing down a thank you note requires serious efforts to put in. It should be written in such a way that it will show how much interested you are in bagging that job.
In the end after making note of each and every point out got to ensure that the note that you have written seems to be direct and genuine.
Also, take note of the fact that your thanking note has to be professional without fail and there are no two ways about it. A thanking note is more like your last attempt of showcasing yourself and you got to make the most of it.
